Tensions run high at town hall meeting over homeless housing plan

VENICE, CA (FOX 11) - Tensions heat up at a town hall meeting in Venice Wednesday night where LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD Chief Moore answered questions about a proposal to build homeless housing in the middle of the neighborhood.

LAPD had a lot of officers at the meeting to keep an eye on things.

Lots of shouting and interrupting as Mayor Garcetti and Chief Moore spoke.

They both support the proposal to house the homeless in Venice.

As do many residents, but there are just as many Venice locals who oppose this plan and both sides made their voices heard.

It was a mix of cheers and jeers for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti as he stepped up to microphone in Venice Wednesday night.

In front of a packed house and rowdy crowd at Westminster Elementary School he made his pitch as to why a three-acre 150 bed homeless bridge housing should be built in the middle of Venice at the former MTA bus lot a proposal meeting with stiff resistance.

Chanting and a multitude of signs from Venice residents were designed to dissuade Garcetti from moving forward with the proposal, but he isnt budging.

'Politically the easiest thing to do is walk away whenever there’s opposition anywhere in the town and people would say okay thank you for walking away, we can’t walk away from homelessness, Garcetti said.

LA City Councilman Mike Bonin has also been pushing the proposal.

'If we do not do this in Venice, the status quo will continue and the problem will continue, Bonin said.

He was routinely yelled at by part of the crowd who told him to think about drug use, crime and other potential issues associated with the homeless.

But supporters yelled back.

LAPD Chief Moore spoke out in support of the housing idea and told the public his officers can't arrest the homeless unless they turn down available shelter.

Meanwhile, Outside the town hall dozens of supporters of the homeless held a candlelight vigil to back up the housing plan. While inside those who oppose it said it doesn't mean they oppose the homeless.